Bit of a head scratcher for me here.

[Topken]

Here is what I am having issues with. Basically I want to be able to take a dolby digital signal from my Vizio 42" HDTV basically run it through a Creative Sound Blaster Z to a set of Logitech x530 speakers. I was told buy 1 person that I would not be able to do that and they basically laughed at me for thinking I could. I basically want to know if its possible or not. this setup is for a bedroom basically I have a PC with a Creative X-Fi Extremegamer PCI soundcard already which is analogue only on its inputs. So I need one with a toslink input that can output that via analogue tot he 5.1 speaker system. My other option would be to replace the logitech x530 with a VIZIO S4251w-B4 5.1 Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer and Satellite Speakers and run the audio through the soundcard and out its toslink to the bar. I want to run the audio through the pc becuase I plan on using the PC for watching movies via the hdtv. I also want to be able to run the PS3s audio over toslink through the pc and out the logitech 5.1 as well. so I can have 5.1 for the ps3 as well as the PC. Is this doable witht he options I have laid out?

 

[Adam]

Hi. Did the person say why he/she thought it wouldn't work? I'm assuming from your question that the audio is coming from your TV - does your Vizio TV have an optical audio output?

I've looked at that equipment a bit this morning, and on the face of it, it appears that you should be able to run an optical cable into the Sound Blaster Z and run the 5.1 analog audio out to your speakers. I didn't see in the manual any mention of if the Sound Blaster can accept 5.1 Dolby Digital audio input over that optical connection, so perhaps it can't - but I'd think that it would.

Some notes:
(*) In order to connect up your PS3 and TV to that Sound Blaster Z card, you'd need an optical switch because it only has one input.
(*) If you are playing audio from your TV, but it's actually audio coming from an HDMI input on the TV (e.g. from a cable box), then it's likely that the audio will only be in stereo because a lot of TVs will convert 5.1 audio from an HDMI input into stereo audio for output over the optical audio connection.

 

[Topken]

The Vizio outputs dolby digital coming in from the hdmi out over the toslink connector on the back and passes a true 5.1 audio stream. The reason I can confirm that this works is that I have tested it with Star Ocean The Last Hope which has an speaker positioning tester built in and played each indvidial speaker on the living rooms Samsung HT-EM53C home theater system. As for what the guy told me. He did not say why he basically said it doesn't work that way. The HDTV is a VIZIO M470SV and states this in the manual "Digital Audio Out - Changes the type of processing for the Optical output when connected to a home theater audio system. Select Dolby Digital, PCM, or Off." I have one of the few hdtvs that does proper dolby digital out over optical.

Edit: Ok after rechecking it seems my x-fi extremegamer can do toslink out I just need a miniplug to toslink cable. So in that case I may not need a new soundcard. I was also looking at something like this

Amazon.com: Panlong 5.1 Audio Gear Digital Sound Decoder Converter - Optical SPDIF/ Coaxial Dolby AC3 DTS to 5.1CH Analog Audio: Everything Else

 

[Topken]

Sorry not sure how you guys feel about bumping here. Any other decoder boxes you guys would recommend or would my original plan of buying a new Soundcard work better then those decoder boxes?

 

[Topken]

Ok another plan I can do is use an AVR like this one Amazon.com: Yamaha RX-V667 7.2-Channel Home Theater Receiver (OLD VERSION) (Discontinued by Manufacturer): Electronics to output to my logitech x530s until I get the money around for new speakers unless the pre-outs don't work like that. Since I am new to this land words like pre-out are completely foreign to me so a heads up on if this will work will be useful.

As for getting sound from my pc to the AVR I could use the 3.5mm analogue outs from my soundcard to the RCA inputs on the AVR using a 3.5mm to RCA splitter cable or I could run an HDMI cable from my GPU to the AVR. So some help here would be useful.

Basically use 3 of these types of cables to connect the PC to the AVR Amazon.com: Mediabridge 3.5mm Male to 2-Male RCA Adapter (6 Feet) - Step Down Design for iPhone, iPod, Smartphone, Tablet and MP3 Cases: Electronics

And use 3 of these to connect the AVR to the Logitech X530 until I get the money around for better speakers Amazon.com: Monoprice 6inch Premium 3.5mm Stereo Female to 2RCA Male 22AWG Cable (Gold Plated) - Black: Electronics

Edit: Ok after looking it seems the Pre outs will be fine for my purpose with the Logtech x530 since the logitech x530 has a built in AMP from what I remember reading. Like I said I will use the Logitech X530 until I get the money around for better speakers/sub/surround. Should be able to tell the AVR to output only 5.1 instead of the 7.2 that its offering.Reason for the discontinued model is for the analogue ins and outputs for now since thats what I have via pc and speakers right now. That and its cheap enough to not break the budget right now considering my income is limited and I do get at least $50-$60 a month in amazon giftcards I can offset things with.

 

[Topken]

Ok now that I know that my creative x-fi extremegamer has toslink out via the flexi jack I can make use of the soundbar for movies and for the PS3/HDTV as well. and I can still make use of my logitech x530s for music/pc gaming which would give me both worlds. Think that will be the option I take for the bedroom and then grab an AVR+Speakers for the living room in the basement down the road. After the new house is built of course.

 

[j_garcia]

Just get the mini adapter, it should work fine. A receiver will do a better job, but these speakers are already powered, so I probably wouldn't go with a receiver until you're ready for new speakers too.

 

[markw]

Agree with J. Whatever receiver you buy is going to be forced to go through those puny Logitech amps in your loudspeakers.

IMNSHO, bite the bullet and ditch those speakers ane get real, passive speakers that you can use with a receiver. Trying to jerk everything around in order to accomodate them is killing you. They are the limiting factor in everything you're trying to do.

 

[Topken]

Problem is since Im on social sercurity my budget is very limited. For now I will get the Soundbar+optical switch for the bedroom and once the new house is built and the basement is semi done I will be getting an AVR+speakers there. Which will likely be next year at some point.

As of right now I use a site called swagbucks to help offset some of my amazon purchases since it basically lets me watch muted videos and articles on my second monitor for points which I can then use to purchase different types of giftcards and amazon just happens to be one of those types. Right now I manage about $60 worth of giftcards in a month so a larger budget for both an AVR+ decent speakers is going to take forever to gather.

What this all basically means is that I buy things piecemeal when I can. Like purchasing the AVR now then speakers to go with it later for example. Hence why I would try to go for a refurb on the Yamaha 667 since its only $350 on amazon. Which would take about 6-7 months to get the money for. I could maybe shrink that down if I put more time into Swagbucks but that would basiucally keep me tied to my pc from the time I get up to the time I went to bed which really isn't an option.